TAX UNTAXED PRODUCTS

I'm writing about the Aug. 16 story, "Sales tax increase approved." Instead
of increasing the existing sales taxes, why not tax a product that is now
completely untaxed? Why not tax marijuana? Instead of attempting to nullify
the immutable law of supply and demand, our government should regulate,
control and tax it. We could easily tax marijuana at about 90 percent of
its retail price. The vast majority of marijuana's current price is the
result of the "prohibition tax" which is now going to organized crime.

It seems to me that nonmarijuana users would be in favor of taxing a
product that they don't use. Around here, taxing somebody else's vice is
very popular. Of course, many will proclaim that regulating, controlling
and taxing the sale of marijuana will "send the wrong message" to our
children. But what message are we now sending to our children by
regulating, controlling and taxing the sale of tobacco products? The annual
tobacco vs. marijuana kill ratio is greater than 400,000 to zero.

Kirk Muse

Mesa, Ariz.